Police who pulled over a criminology student who was driving strangely found he had cannabis on him, was over the drug-driving limit and had no insurance. After stopping the Audi in Loughborough town centre, the Leicestershire Police officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis and Adel Budeiri, 22, tried to blame it on a friend who had been smoking the drug.

But a drug wipe test at the roadside showed Budeiri had the drug in his system, and a quantity of the Class B drug was found on him. He was arrested and a blood test later showed he was over the drug-drive limit.

The officers asked the Loughborough University student why he had no insurance, and Budeiri said the Audi belonged to his mother and he thought he was insured on the vehicle.

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At Leicester Magistrates' Court on Monday (February 24) Budeiri pleaded guilty to drug driving and having no insurance. The possession of cannabis offence had been dealt with earlier by a community resolution, rather than a prosecution, the court heard.

Prosecutor Ravinder Daroch told the magistrates: "On September 11 last year, just after midnight, officers on patrol in Loughborough noticed a vehicle waiting at a traffic light at the Pinfold Gate junction for a prolonged period of time."

She said the officers followed the vehicle, noticing it mounting the kerb at one point, and they pulled it over in nearby Southfield Road. Ms Daroch said Budeiri claimed a friend had been in the Audi smoking cannabis, but the officers could see that his eyes were glazed and carried out the drug test.

Budeiri was arrested and a blood sample was taken. It later showed a level of 2.2 microgrammes of cannabis per litre of blood. The legal limit is 2 microgrammes.

Atalanta Sanders, representing Budeiri, of Normandy Way, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, said: "He's only 22. He is a full-time student at Loughborough University studying criminology.

"Of course something drew the officers' attention to Mr Budeiri, but it's far from significant impairment." She said her client's parents were in court to support him, and that his mother worked at a prison and his father worked for the United Nations.

Ms Sanders said: "He's a young man of good character. He's someone who can be rehabilitated out of the criminal justice system. It's most unfortunate he finds himself within it.

"He has fully accepted his guilt. He's a young man who is scared, and the fact that he's had this hanging over him for months has been a punishment in and of itself."

Jane Foster, chairman of the bench, told Budeiri: "Driving while under the influence of drugs is treated just as seriously as driving with excess alcohol - and I'm sure you know that."

Budeiri was banned from driving for 14 months. He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay a £48 victim surcharge and £85 costs.